Sound-box or the like.



J. HOFFAY.

SOUND BOX 0R THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13| 1914.

Patented June 22V, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. HOFFAYK. SOUND B'ox 0R THE UKE.

' A APPLICATloN man Mums, '1914. r 1,144,202. Y 1 Patente June 22, l91o.

i2 sHEUslsHEET 2.

VlLBLE COPY J' OSE HOFFAY, 0F LONDON, ENGLAND.

SOUND-BOX E THE LIKE.

T0 all 'whom it may concern: n

Be it known that I, Joss HoFrAY, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico,and a resident of London, England, have invented certa-in new and usefulImprovements in Sound-Boxes or the like; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of 1the same.

This invention relates to improvements in sound boxes or the like forgramophones, phonographs and the like machines having the stylus levermade of a forked formation, the bifurcations sgraddling the diaphragm,which form of lev r is not per se new.

The objects of the inventionv are to obtain a vibratory action of thediaphragm free from the defects arising from the distortion of thestylus lever arising from the working of the stylus in the sound groove,and to obtain a vibratory action of the diaphragm free from the defectsproduced by the displacement of the stylus lever parallel to thediaphragm owing to irregularities of the record.

To these ends, the invention consists in combining a forked stylus leverwith a diaphragm so that the bifurcations connected to the diaphragm areunder stress and tend to separate from each other, so as to keep urdercontinuous tension iiexible inelastic means, preferably passing throughthe diaphragm, connecting the bifurcations to the diaphragm and to eachother, therebyr balancing the diaphragm between the resilientbifurcations of the stylus lever and obtaining a braced or more rigidstructure, which while permitting displacement of the stylus leverparallel to the diaphragm, causes vibratory action on the diaphragmof'either bifurcation due to this displacement to be balanced orneutralized by the other bifurcation.

llmbodiments of the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an elevation of one formof stylus lever in a sound box shown partly in transverse section; Fig.2. is a face View, partly in section; Fig. 3 is an enlargeddiagramniatic sectional plan of a detail, on ri-23, Fig. 1; Fig. .i isan elevation of a. modification; Fig. 5 is a section of a detail ofconstruction on 5 5, Fig. 11.

The stylus lever comprises two bifurcations, 1, 2, which straddle thediaphragm, 3, one on the outer side, and the other on the Speccation ofLetters Patent.

Application led March 13, 1914.

Patented June 22,v 1915.

Serial No. 824,442.

inner side and passing through an opening, 4, in the usual tubularextension, 5, of the sound box, 6, withoutI contact therewith. Thebifurcations on opposite sides are connected 4to the diaphragm and toeach other under stress by iexible inelastic means such as a silk, hemp,jute, or other cord or the like, 7, preferably passing through thediaphragm. The cord may conveniently be formed as an endless plain ortwisted loop engaging notches, 8, in the bifurcations as shown in Fig.3, and knotted and waxed, at 9. The cord may be secured to thediaphragrn by another locp of cord, 10, knotted and waxed, at 11, on oneside of the diaphragm, embracing the loop, 7, at its midlengt-h, andknotted and waxed. at 12, on the other side of the diaphragm.

The employment of a flexible connector in combination with a forkedstylus lever having its bifurcations under stress is of advantage inthat when displacement of the stylus lever parallel to the diaphragmcauses one bifurcation to tend to vibrate the diaphragm, this iscompensated or negatived by the contrary action of the otherbifurcation, so that foreign sounds produced v by irregularities of thesound groove are to a very appreciable extent eliminated.

The stylus lever may be pivotally mounted on the sound box in anyconvenient manner, for instance by pivots, 13, in brackets, 14, integralwith a carrier ring, 15, insulated from the casing of the sound box by arubber or the like ring, 16, but this manner of mounting does not formpart of the invention and other ways may be employed.

ln the modification represented in Fig. 4, a forked stylus lever isrepresented for operating two diaphragme. The diaphragms are mounted intwo sound boxes which may be connected to atrumpet or trumpets in anyconvenient manner. These are arranged facing one another and are spacedapart by a. voke or yokes, 17, made fast to two carrier rings, 15. Theforked stylus lever is pivoted on the yoke, at 13, and the bifurcations,which are under stress, extend through the tubular extensions, 5, andare connected to the diaphragms and to one another by a connector, 1E),preferably passing through both diaphragms.

lV hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a sound box or the like for a gramophone, lmonograph, or thelike machine, in

VLBLE COPY 1,144,202

combination, a diaphragm, a pivotally having' 'its bifurcations understress and mounted forked stylus lever straddling the tendingV toseparate from .each other, and diaphragm and havingits bifurcationsunflexible inelasticl 'Inans kept under continuder stress and tending toseparate fromeach ous tension by the bifurcations and connect- 5 5other, and flexible inelastic means kept uning the bifurcations to thediaphragrnsand der continuous tension by the bifurcations' to eachother. and -connecting the bifurcations to the dia- 6. In a sound box orthe like fr a'gramophragm and to each other. v phone, phonograph, or thelike machine, in

2. .In a`sound box or the like fora gramocombination with atubularext'ension ofthev 60 n phone, phonograph, orthe like machine, in soundbox, of a' diaphragm, 'a pivotallycombination,v a diaphragm, a.pivotally mountedfforkedf stylus lever straddlingthe mounted forkedstylus lever straddling' the diaphragm and having i'ts bifurcationsundiaphragm and having its bifurcations under stress and tending toseparate from each der stress and tending to separate from each other,and flexible inelastic means' kept un-"68 other, and flexible inelasticmeanskept under continuous' tension by, the bifurcations der continuoustensionby the bifurcations and connecting the bifurcations to thre'diasand connecting the free ends of the bifurcaphragm and to each other, oneof'saidfbifur-f'- tions to the diaphragm and to each other cationsentering into the tubular extension /M` w without contacting said endsWith the diaof the soundbox. w= 'f 70 phragm. 7.` Sound reproducing orrecording means: .t Y v3: AIn a sound box or the like'for ag'ra'mocomprising, in combination,'a plurality" of phone, phonograph, orthe like machine, in sound-chambers, a plurality f ofdiaphragmscombination, a diaphragm, A a pivotally mounted therein, apivot'ally' rnountedf mounted forked stylus lever straddling the forkedstylus lever straddling -the dia- 7B diaphragm and'having 'itsbifurcations un-4 phragr'ns and having its bifurcations utiderf derstress and tending to separate from each stress and tending `to separatefrom each?v "other, flexible inelastic means kept under other, flexibleinelastic means fkeptundei'- continuous tension by'the bifurcations andcontinuous tension by fthe' bifurcations and! passing through thediaphragm and conpassing thrbugh the diaphragme and'qco'n-'I'SO 80necting the bifurcations to each other, and necting the bifurcations toeach other, and*v phragm. phragm's. i' -j '0^ 4. In a sound b'ox or thelike for a gramo- 8. Sound vreproduclng or recording meansf.

3 5 combination, a diaphragm, 'a pivotally so'undchambers, a pluralityofdiaphrag'msf mounted forked stylus lever straddling the mountedtherein, a `piv`otally i' mounted -f diaphragm and having itsbifurcations unforked'v stylus lever 'strad'dling the di`a--,

der stress and tending to separate from each phrag'ms and having itsbifurcations under other, an endless loop of flexible and inelas stressand' tending to separate from each' 90 40'tic material kept undercontinuous tension other,'and flexible inelastic means kpt'un je* by thebifurcations and passing through the@ dcr continuous 'tension by the'bifurcations' diaphragm and connecting the bifurcations andAconnectingr tlief'reeend's'i of the-bifurll to cach other, and a secondloop knotted on cations to the diaphragms'a-nd 'toe'ach 'other one sideof the diaphragm, embracing the without contacting said 'ends with thedia- 96 Iii-st loop, and knotted on the other side of phragms.

the diaphragm. In -testimony whereof I a-liix my signature 5. Soundreproducing or recording means in presence of two subscribing witnesses.comprising, in combination, a plurality of v JOSEl HOFFAY.v soundchambers, a plurality of diaphragme Witnesses: mounted therein, apivotally mounted forked ALFRED DAY,

stylus lever straddling the diaphragms and vVALTER- DAY.

means securing the flexible means to the diameans securing the flexibleme'aans tofth'e'- diaz- "lg phone, phonograph, or thelike machine, incomprising; in combination, a-fplurali-typf 8I`

